A Parliament for All: Lessons from the Scottish Parliament's Gender‐Sensitive Audit

Abstract In 2022, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament announced a gender‐sensitive parliament (GSP) audit of women's representation and participation. The audit made thirty‐four recommendations, including establishing a GSP Advisory Group to drive institutional change. In doing so, Scotland became part of a global trend—advanced by international and regional organisations—to redress parliamentary gender insensitivities in respect of participation, rules and infrastructure, culture and outputs. Drawing on feminist institutionalism (FI), this article maps the GSP process and critically evaluates the outcomes of the Scottish case. Specifically, we apply key FI insights regarding gendered formal and informal rules and the interplay between actors and institutions to assess the success of GSP reforms at Holyrood. Situating the Scottish Parliament within wider and comparative debates around institutional continuity, change and resistance, we close by reflecting on future prospects for GSP in Scotland and beyond.